1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to refuse containers and, more particularly, to refuse containers that are customarily housed inside decorative housings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In many business establishments, especially establishments in the food business, refuse containers are housed inside decorative housings. Often a decorative housing has a swinging door which permits access to a refuse container contained within the decorative housing. When the swinging door is swung open and refuse is dumped towards the refuse container, a small portion of the refuse often misses the refuse container and lands on an inside wall of the decorative housing. Although the refuse container itself may be readily cleaned, it is a more difficult task to the inside walls of the decorative housing. Because the inside walls of the decorative housing are not readily cleaned, they are not cleaned very often, especially in a fast-paced work environment such as a fast food business establishment. Often, the inside surfaces of the decorative housings for the refuse containers are not cleaned in weeks. As a result, they have an accumulation of dried soil. It may take extended periods of time to clean these soiled inside surfaces of the decorative housings.
Every food establishment receives health inspections. In addition, food establishments often receive performance evaluations from their company. The inside surfaces of decorative housings of refuse containers are often inspected. In this respect, it would be desirable if means were provided for impeding or preventing accumulation of refuse or soil on inside walls of decorative housings for refuse containers.
Moreover, as stated above, the cleaning of dried soil, that accumulates over time inside the decorative housings for refuse containers, is a time consuming process. In this respect, it would be desirable if means were provided for reducing the amount of time spent for cleaning the inside walls of the decorative housings for refuse containers.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to refuse containers, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: 4,964,523, 5,123,562, 5,183,175, 5,207,344, 5,447,251, and Des. 334,448. It is noted that none of the cited patents disclose either means for impeding or preventing accumulation of refuse or soil on inside walls of decorative housings for refuse containers or for reducing the amount of time spent for cleaning the inside walls of the decorative housings for refuse containers.
Still other features would be desirable in a device for impeding or preventing accumulation of refuse or soil on inside walls of decorative housings for refuse containers. For example, a certain amount of refuse lands on the top rim of the refuse container. Some of such refuse falls into the container, and some of the refuse may fall outside of the container. The refuse that falls outside of the refuse container may land on the side walls or the floor of the decorative housing. To lessen the amount of refuse that falls outside of the container, it would be desirable if means were provided which fit over the top rim of a refuse container and funnel refuse into the refuse container.
When refuse is deposited in a refuse container retained in a decorative housing, there is a great tendency for some refuse to completely overshoot the top rim of the refuse container and land upon an inside wall of the decorative housing. In this respect, it would be desirable if means were provided to deflect refuse that overshoots the top rim of the refuse container into the interior of the refuse container.
For purposes of sanitation, it would be desirable if means for deflecting refuse into a refuse container were easily removed from the refuse container for washing. Similarly, it would be desirable if means for deflecting refuse into a refuse container were easily clamped onto a refuse container.
Since it would be desirable for the refuse deflection means to be washed often, it would also be desirable if handles were provided on the refuse deflection means so that the refuse deflection means could be readily carried to and from a site where washing was conducted.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use collection devices for refuse, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a refuse container attachment apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) impedes or prevents accumulation of refuse or soil on inside walls of decorative housings for refuse containers; (2) reduces the amount of time spent for cleaning the inside walls of the decorative housings for refuse containers; (3) fits over the top rim of a refuse container and funnels refuse into the refuse container; (4) deflects refuse that overshoots the top rim of the refuse container into the interior of the refuse container; (5) is easily removed from the refuse container for washing; (6) is easily clamped onto a refuse container; and (7) has handles so that refuse deflection means can be readily carried to and from a site where washing is conducted. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique refuse container attachment apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.